Method of purifying molten metal



W. T. DAVIS l METHOD 0F PURIFYING MOLTEN METAL Filed May 20, 1921 1l |1 'I 'I i1 l B1G Il "I lul l la Il |g l QL 1L o'I lL, l lol 'i f Il OQ 'l L`r. III Il! Il! INVENTOR.

Apr. n 7, w23.

.lundi Primal Apr. 17, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER T. DAVIS, F WHEELING, WBT VIRGINIA, ASSIG'II'OB T0 G' SEG COIPANY, 0FY G, WBT VIBGIHIA,- A CORPORATION 0F WESTVIBGIIIA.

IETHOD 0F PBIFYING IOLTEH IETAL.

Application led l'ay 20, 18211 Serll lo. 471,101.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER T. Davis, a resident of Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia, have invented a new and Improvement in Methods of Purifying Molten Metal, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which the ligure l0 is a vertical section of one form of apparatus for carrying out my invention.

My invention has relation to the puriieation of molten metal, such as molten tin, or/and lead.

It is highly desirable in molten metals of the character above stated that they shall be freed as far aspossible from dust and dirt which are usually resent to a large degree therein, these me being ordinarily melted within open tanks or vessels.

I have discovered that this purification' can be accomplished in a very thorough and'v effective manner by causing the dischargel of air at the bottom portion of the tank con taining the molten metal and causing"such air to bubble upwardly through the metal. Thevescap'ing bubblesof air serve to catch and carry with them to the surface of the metal a very large part of the contained dust and dirt. When carried in this manner to the surface of the molten bathl of metal, the dirt mi les with the dross or scum formed by oxi ation, and can be readily removed by skimming. My invention can be carried outin various ways, one vof which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In this drawing, the numeral 2 designates any suitable vessel or tank containing thebody of molten metaltobepuriied. 3 designatesanair 40 pipe connected with a source of air under pressure, and itisextendedinh thetankand along the bottom portion thereof. This pipe is provided with a. plurality of small perforations 4, through which air may escape and pa upwardly through the molten metal. Any desired number of these pipes:` may be arranged in the tank in any suitable manner, 'the best results obtained when the pipe arrangement is such that air will be' 5 caused to escape and pass upwardly through the major portion of the volume of the bath.- My invention forms a very simple and eilicient method for the purpose described and by the use of which the moltenmetal may be' 55 very largely freed from containcd'dirt.

I claim: I

1. The herein'described method of puriying molten tin or/and lead metal, -which consists 'in liberating air at the lower poro tion of the mas of metal to be purified, and causing said air to pass upwardly through the body of metal, substantially as described.

2. The herein described method of purifying molten tin or/ and lead metal, which consists in releasing air under pressure in a plurality o f small streams at the lower portion of the bod of metal to be puriiied, and allowing the liberated air, to pass upwardly y through the body of metal, substantially as 7 described. l

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER T. DAVIS. I 

